Yarn package stand



May 23, 1967 J, J. POORE ETAL YARN PACKAGE STAND Filed March 11, 1966 INVENTOR$I JOHN J? 1 0025-61! OMA H.CAMPE E-u ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,321,152 YARN PACKAGE STAND John J. Poore, Sycamore Drive, and Oma H. Campbell, 417 N. Fant St., both of Anderson, S.C. 29621 Filed Mar. 11, 1966, Ser. No. 533,497

6 Claims. (Cl. 242-130) This invention relates to textile apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for supporting packages of textile material in association with textile machinery.

In many textile operations, it is necessary to support packages of textile material such as yarn so that yarn may the unwound from these packages and used in the textile operation. For instance, in a weaving operation, filling bobbins wound with yarn must be continuously supplied to the loom so that filling yarn is continuously available for the weaving of cloth on the loom. As can be understood, filling bobbins wound with filling yarn must be supplied in rapid sequence continuously to the loorn and it is a common practice to wind empty bobbins directly on the loom.

In order to supply yarn to the filling bobbin winding device on the loom, it is therefore necessary to provide suitable means for supporting packages of yarn in close proximity to the filling bobbin winder on the loom so that yarn may be unwound from these packages and advanced directly into the bobbin winding device. Various yarn package supporting devices or package stands are in use today for supporting a plurality of yarn packages in close association with textile machinery. However, such present day package stands are characterized by certain limitations such as the limited number of packages which such stands can conveniently support and therefore the need for frequent surveillance for replacement of empty packages in order to insure that yarn is continuously supplied to the textile machinery. As present day package stands are closely associated with textile machinery such as looms, they are characterized by an even greater drawback in that they are a constant source of interference to the operator who is required to make adjustments or corrections to the winder or loom or to the cloth being woven on the loom. In addition, further interference is encountered from such present day stands when maintenance or repair work must be done on the loom during which access to all parts of the machinery or loom is highly desirable, if not necessary.

Accordingly, a primary object of this invention is to provide a new and novel stand for supporting packages of textile material.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and novel package stand for supporting a relatively large number of yarn packages in a relatively confined area in close association with a winder on textile machinery which facilitates unwinding of the yarn from the packages and replacement of empty packages with a minimum of supervision and in a simple and easy manner.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a new and novel stand for supporting yarn packages in close association with a winder on textile machinery which permits the package supporting portion to be simply and easily moved to a remote position for easy access to the winder and textile machinery or removed completely in a simple and easy manner.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a new and novel stand for yarn packages which may be positioned on textile machinery to provide yarn for a bobbin winder, which is simple and inexpensive in construction and which utilizes a minimum of parts but which is rugged in construction for long life. 7

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and novel package stand for supporting a relatively large number of yarn packages in an annular arrangement for 3,321,152 Patented May 23, 1967 ice simultaneous rotation of the packages in an annular path into predetermined rotary positions.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In general, the objects of the invention and other related objects are accomplished by providing an upstanding post which is supported in association with a textile machine. A package supporting assembly is provided which is supported on the post. The package supporting assembly includes a base member and sleeve secured to one end of the base member which removably and rotatably receives the upper end of the post in telescoping relationship to support the base member in a substantially horizontal plane. The assembly also includes an annular member which is supported on the base member either fixedly or in association with indexing means for rotation in a substantially horizontal plane and a. guide for textile material is supported on the base member in vertically spaced, centrally arranged relationship with the annular member. The assembly also includes: a plurality of spindles supported in uniform, circumferentially spaced relationship on the annular member in substantial axial alignment with the guide for unwinding of textile material from packages supported on the spindle through said guide. Releasable means are provided for locking the sleeve to the post in a predetermined rotary position with the locking means being released by rotation of the sleeve on the post through the assembly to permit the assembly to be swung freely to any selected position for access to the textile machine and the assembly is freely removable from the post by vertical withdrawal of the sleeve from the post upper end.

The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation may "be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side View of a portion of textile machinery showing the stand of the invention in association therewith;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIGURE 1 with a portion being shown in an operative solid line position and in an inoperative dotted line position;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the stand of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the stand of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a portion of a modification of the package stand of the invention.

As generally illustrative of the invention, there is shown in FIGURE 1 a portion of a textile machine such as a loom designated generally by the numeral 11 with which the package stand of the invention is associated. The package stand of the invention which is designated generally by the letter S is preferably used in conjunction with a winding attachment designated generally by the numeral 13 which may be of the type referred to as a Unifil manufactured by the Leesona Corporation and positioned in the well known manner on the loom 11.

As is well known, the Unifil winder to automatically wind filling bobbins used in the weaving operation on the loom 11 and the package stand S of the invention is employed to supply the Unifil winder 13 with yarn for the winding operation. The Unifil winder is of the well known construction and includes generally a suitably supported tension device 14 for yarn Y which is advanced to the winding mechanism 16. Empty bobbins ejected by the loom 11 and conveyed upwardly by means of a continuous belt 17 are wound with the yarn Y in the winding mechanism 16 and are subsequently 13 is employed ejected by an ejector device 18 into a supply rack for subsequent utilization on the loom 11.

As specifically illustrative of the invention, the package stand S includes an upstanding post 19 which is arranged to support a package supporting assembly designated generally by the numeral 21. Means are provided for supporting the post 19 in association with the loom 11 which in the preferred embodiment includes a support bracket 22 as shown best in FIGURE 3 arranged to be attached to the frame 23 of the loom 11 by means such as bolts or the like.

The support bracket 22 includes a pair of vertically spaced sockets 24, 26 with the lower socket 24 preferably provided with a vertically extending bore 27 corresponding to the outer diameter of the post 19. Socket 26 is preferably provided with a vertically extending bore 28 substantially square in cross section for accommodating a sleeve 29 suitably secured to the post 19 by welding or the like as shown. The bores 27, 28 thus receive the end portion of post 19 and the sleeve 29 respectively in telescoping relationship and set screws 31, 32 respectively are provided for securing end portion of the post and sleeve within the sockets in the position shown in FIG- URE 1.

The package supporting assembly 21 includes a base member 33 to one end of which is suitably secured a downwardly depending sleeve 34. The sleeve 34 has an inner bore 36 for removably and rotatably receiving the upper end of the post 19 in loose fitting telescoping relationship to thus support the base member 33 in a substantially horizontal plane. A cross member 37 is suitably secured by means such as a bolt 38 intermediate its ends to the other end of the base member 33 and the cross member 37 is provided with upturned ends 37a, 37b.

In the embodiment of FIGURES 1-4, the package supporting assembly 21 also includes an annular member 41 which is supported on the cross member 37. The annular member 41 which may be formed from a rod, pipe or the like is preferably secured by means such as welding or the like to the upturned ends 37a, 37b of the cross member 37 so that the annular member 41 is elevated slightly above the cross member 37 and base member 33 with all three members being positioned in substantially horizontal planes.

The annular member 41 is provided with a plurality of apertures 42 arranged in uniform circumferentially spaced relationship which extend transversely of the axis of the rod or pipe forming the annular member 41 and are inclined angularly inwardly as shown. Each of the apertures 42 are arranged to receive and angularly position a spindle 43 which is secured to the annular member 41 by means such as a nut 44 threadedly engageable with a threaded lower end on the spindle 43. Each of the spindles 43, five of which are provided in the illustrated embodiment, are thus arranged to support a plurality of yarn packages 46 which, as is well known, comprise a carrier such as a cone or tube on which yarn Y is wound.

In order to guide the yarn unwound from the packages 46 to the winder 13, a thread guide 47 is supported by 7 means such as an L-shaped bracket 48 suitably secured to the base member 33 in vertically spaced, centrally arranged relationship with the annular member 41. The axis of the spindles 43 and therefore the yarn packages 46 are therefore in substantial alignment with the thread guide 47 so that the yarn Y unwound from any of the packages 46 is removed easily and without interference during the unwinding operation. In the embodiment of FIGURES 1-4, the trailing end of the yarn Y on each package 46 is tied to the leading end of the yarn on the adjacent package so that sequential unwinding of the packages 46 is obtained. It is an outstanding feature of the invention that the stand of FIGURES l-4 is particularly suitable for such sequential unwinding.

Releasable means are provided for locking the sleeve 34 to the post 19 in a predetermined rotary position.

More specifically, a pin 51 is provided adjacent the upper end of the post 19 which extends through the post with its end portions projecting laterally outward in opposite directions in diametrically opposed relationship. The lower or distal end of the sleeve 34 on the package supporting assembly 21 is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed, downwardly opening cam notches 52, 53 the bottom portions of which are arranged to receive the end portions of the pin 51 when the sleeve 34 is positioned in telescoping relationship with the post 19 as shown in FIGURE 1 and thereby retain the package supporting assembly 21 in a predetermined rotary position. This predetermined rotary position may be referred to as an operative position in which the yarn packages 46 are positioned for unwinding and this operative position is shown in solid lines in FIGURE 2. The cam notches 52, 53 preferably include straight side edges 52a, 53a and inclined side edges 52b, 53b respectively.

When it is necessary to gain access to the loom 11 or winder 13 and such access is obstructed by the package supporting assembly 21 in the operative position of FIG- URE 1, the locking means formed by the pin 51 and cam notches 52, 53 is released by rotating the package supporting assembly 21 in the direction of the arrow I in FIGURE 2 to any selected remote rotary position as indicated by the dotted line position of FIGURE 2. The rotation of the package supporting assembly 21 produces a camm'ing action between the end portions of the pin 51 and the inclined earn notch side edges 52b, 53b so that the locking means is released and the sleeve 34 rotates relative to the post 19 with the end portions of pin 51 sliding along the edge walls 52b, 53b. When the end portions of pin 51 reach the lower extremity of the cam notch inclined side walls 52b, 53b, the locking means are completely released and the package supporting assembly 21 rotates freely with the lower edge 34a of sleeve 34 supported for free rotation on the pin 51.

On occasion it may be desirable to completely remove the package supporting assembly from the post 19. This may be accomplished by lifting the package supporting assembly 21 vertically upward withdrawing the end portions of the pin 51 from the cam notches 52, 53 and removing the sleeve 34 completely from the post 19.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 5 wherein like numerals are utilized to identify like parts, indexing means are provided for the package supporting assembly 21 by means of which the annular member 41' and packages 46 supported thereon may be rotated into selected rotary positions as a unit. More specifically, the bolt 38 of FIGURE 1 has been eliminated and a pair of cooperating indexing plates 61, 62 are positioned between the base member 33' and cross member 37'. The outer surfaces of the plates 61, 62 ,are provided with transverse slots 63, 64 which receive and interlock with the base member 33, 37 respectively for rotation therewith. The inner surfaces of the plates 61, 62 are provided with matching undulations or rises 66, 67 respectively so that the plates 61, 62 may be positioned together in indexing nesting relationship.

The plates 61, 62, the base member 33' and cross member 37' are retained in the assembled relationship by means of a bolt 68 extending therethrough and through a spring 69 on the other end of which bolt a retaining nut 71 'is provided. The spring 69 therefore urges the undulations 66, 67 of the plates 61, 62 respectively into the nested relationship thereby indexing the annular member 41 in a selected rotary position.

In the illustrated embodiment of FIGURE 5, each of the plates 61, 62 is provided with five undulations corresponding to the number of yarn packages 46 supported on the annular member 41' thereby providing the annular member 41' with five pre-selected indexing positions into which the annular member 41 may be moved. Movement of the annular member 41' into one of the five selected annular positions may be accomplished by simply rotating the annular member in either direction as identified by the arrows P wherein the spring 69 permits the undulations 66, 67 to slide relative to each other and slip sequentially into each pre-selected indexed rotary position.

It can be seen that there has been provided with the novel construction of the invention a package stand which may be positioned in close association with textile machinery so as to support a plurality of yarn packages for unwinding. The stand of the invention is not only inexpensive and simple in construction but is extremely rugged. With the stand of the invention, a relatively large number of packages may be positioned for unwinding in a very small space which is always at a premium in the area of a loom so as to reduce the number of package replacement operations required with attendant reduction in labor cost. An outstanding feature of the invention is the simple and easy arrangement in the package stand which permits the stand to be positively held in inoperative position with the packages positioned for unwinding but at the same time permits the stand assembly and associated packages to be swung in -a simple and easy manner while releasing the package positioning means into a remote position for easy access to the winder and loom. At the same time, the package supporting assembly of the stand may be simply and easily removed and replaced to permit complete freedom of access to the winder and loom without the need for disturbing the arrangement by means of which the stand is positioned in association with or on the loom.

While there has been described what at present is considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention and, therefore, it is the aim of the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A stand for packages of textile material comprising, in combination, an upstanding post, means for supporting said post in association with a textile machine, a package supporting assembly supported on said post including a base member, a sleeve secured to one end of said base member for removably and rotatably receiving the upper end of said post in telescoping relationship to support said base member in a substantially horizontal plane, an annular member, means for supporting said annular member on said base member, a guide for textile material supported On said base member in vertically spaced, centrally arranged relationship with said annular member, a plurality of spindles supported in uniform, circumferentially spaced relationship on said annular member in substantially axial alignment with said guide for unwinding of textile material from the packages on said spindles through said guide, releasable means for locking said sleeve to said post in a predetermined rotary position, said locking means being released by rotation of said sleeve on said post through rotation of said assembly to permit said assembly to be swung freely to any selected position for access to said textile machine, said assembly being freely removable from said post by vertical withdrawal of said sleeve from said post upper end.

2. A package stand in accordance with claim 1 wherein said releasable locking means includes a pin having a pair of diametrically opposed, laterally projecting end portions on said post adjacent said post upper end and a pair of diametrically opposed, downwardly opening notches on the distal end of said sleeve for receiving said pin endportions to releasably lock said sleeve to said post in a predetermined rotary position, said notches being provided with camming surfaces engageable with said pin end portions to cam said sleeve upwardly and remove said pin end portions from said notches when said sleeve is rotated through rotation of said assembly to permit said assembly to be swung freely to any selected rotary position.

3. A stand in accordance with claim 2 wherein said annular member is provided with a plurality of circumferentially and uniformly spaced apertures extending transversely of the axis of said annular member and inclined radially inward of said annular member for receiving said spindles in supported relationship and wherein said means for supporting said annular member on said base member include a cross member having upturned ends secured intermediate its ends adjacent the other end of said base member in planar relationship therewith, said cross member being secured at its upturned ends to said annular member in diametrically extending relationship therewith to position said annular member in vertically spaced relationship with said cross member and said base member.

4. A package stand in accordance with claim 3 wherein said means for supporting said post include a support bracket secured to said textile machine, said support bracket having at least one socket for receiving the lower end of said post to support said post in a substantially vertically extending position.

5. A package stand in accordance with claim 1 including indexing means associated with said base member and said annular member to permit rotation of said annular member and packages supported thereon i-nto selected rotary positions relative to said base member.

6. A package stand in accordance with claim 5 wherein said indexing means includes a pair of vertically stacked indexing plates having mutually engageable surfaces arranged for relative sliding movement into a plurality of indexed rotary positions, means connecting the upper indexing plate with said annular member and means connecting the lower indexing plate with said base members and yieldable means urging said plates together to yieldingly retain said upper plate together with said annular member in a selected rotary indexed position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 755,398

LEONARD D. CHRISTIAN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A STAND FOR PACKAGES OF TEXTILE MATERIAL COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, AN UPSTANDING POST, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID POST IN ASSOCIATION WITH A TEXTILE MACHINE, A PACKAGE SUPPORTING ASSEMBLY SUPPORTED ON SAID POST INCLUDING A BASE MEMBER, A SLEEVE SECURED TO ONE END OF SAID BASE MEMBER FOR REMOVABLY AND ROTATABLY RECEIVING THE UPPER END OF SAID POST IN TELESCOPING RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORT SAID BASE MEMBER IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL PLANE, AN ANNULAR MEMBER, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID ANNULAR MEMBER ON SAID BASE MEMBER, A GUIDE FOR TEXTILE MATERIAL SUPPORTED ON SAID BASE MEMBER IN VERTICALLY SPACED, CENTRALLY ARRANGED RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID ANNULAR MEMBER, A PLURALITY OF SPINDLES SUPPORTED IN UNIFORM, CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED RELATIONSHIP ON SAID ANNULAR 